SpaceX Falcon 1 Launch Live Thread (4 p.m. est)

03/24/06 | Kevin Davis

[KevinDavis]

A new launch time has not been announced. The countdown continues holding.

[KevinDavis]

SpaceX's Gwynne Shotwell says the retrieval ship is making its way toward a better position. But launch officials are awaiting approval from Range Safety before pressing ahead with the countdown.

[KevinDavis]

The launch conductor says once the vessel has moved, the countdown operations will resume.

[Central Scrutiniser]

They have a big launch window today, so getting the ship out won't be a problem.

I almost went to Kwaj once, was going to try to standby on the Continental Micronesia flight that went Honolulu-Johnston Island-Majuro-Kwajelein-Kosrae-Phonpei-Guam. Back when they did it with 727's.

I could have done it, but I never would have made it standby out of Guam to get home.

[RightWhale]

This launch is like all other launches, yet seems to have language and events all its own. They even created a new meaning for COLA, which is to time the launch to avoid objects already in orbit.

[KevinDavis]

Shifting the recovery ship out of the hazard area continues, the launch conductor just said.

[KevinDavis]

The retrieval vessel is still moving.

[KevinDavis]

New launch time! The countdown will resume from the T-minus 75 minute mark at 2115 GMT for liftoff of the Falcon 1 rocket 2230 GMT.

[KevinDavis]

The recovery ship was expected to be clear in time for launch a little sooner than 2230 GMT, according to Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX vice president of business development. But there is a Collision Avoidance, or COLA, blackout period from 2215 to 2228 GMT to ensure the rocket isn't launch on a course that would take it too close to the International Space Station. So SpaceX set 2230 GMT as the official new launch time.

[KevinDavis]

The countdown will resume in 8 minutes.

[KevinDavis]

The launch pad liquid oxygen tank isolation valves are being opened by the ground team on Omelek Island. Crews are making final preparations for fueling the Falcon 1 rocket.

[KevinDavis]

Liquid oxygen system plumbing and valves have been configured by the technicians working at the launch pad. The workers are now evacuating from the island to a fallback area in advance of the hazardous fueling operations.

[KevinDavis]

T-minus 75 minutes and counting. The countdown has resumed for the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket at 2230 GMT today.

[KevinDavis]

The launch pad workers and the crew aboard the transfer boat have been counted to confirm all personnel are ready to depart Omelek.

[Central Scrutiniser]

Considering the size of Omelek, you'd want to get out too.

[KevinDavis]

The ground-level and the high-altitude winds are acceptable.

[KevinDavis]

The "go" has been given to the launch team for fueling.

[KevinDavis]

The Falcon rocket being being prepared for liquid oxygen loading.

[KevinDavis]

"Go" for liquid oxygen filling.

[KevinDavis]

T-minus 65 minutes and counting.